


Love Is in the Air

by merry_amelie



Series: Academic Arcadia [278]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Alternate Reality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 11:29:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14543760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: Our lads follow the path of the Light.





	Love Is in the Air

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kyuuketsukirui](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyuuketsukirui/gifts), [Adb21](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adb21/gifts).



> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> For  
> My beta Helen   
> Laura McEwan for posting to the Master Apprentice ML  
> Travis for posting to the Master Apprentice Archive on AO3   
> Alex for inspiring Arcadia 
> 
> References:  
> [Eeth Koth | Wookieepedia](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Eeth_Koth)  
> Laura Jacquez Valentine for her 'Bridge on the River Qui' series
> 
> Arcadian References -  
> [Masquerade](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1416970)  
> [Alder Run 300](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12200328)  
> [The True Picture ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1843615)  
> [The Complete Picture](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1843618)  
> [Halloween on the Go](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4397036) \- Prudence sees our lads kissing for the first time.

Ian's whistling blended with birdsong, as he and Quinn rode their bicycles up the neighborhood bike path. 

The song he whistled was the theme from the classic 1957 movie, 'The Bridge on the River Kwai', which starred Alec Guinness, Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, exactly twenty years before the first 'Star Wars' movie had come out. Of course, Ian couldn't resist thinking of Qui-Gon Jinn also when he was whistling, thanks to the title of the movie. And since the bike path ran along the right bank of the Calaman River, it was no wonder that he chose this tune.

This particular song had deep roots in Ian's past, as well. When he was a little boy, his great-uncle, who was a veteran of the Army Air Forces in World War II, used to whistle it for him during their visits. Sometimes his mom would sing along, and Ian could still hear her lilting voice:

"Ian, we love you very much...."

To this day, the tune never failed to put a grin on his face. And here, riding on his bicycle beside Quinn on a beautiful spring day, that grin was out in Force.

Just like their backyard at home, the bike path was alive with the Living Force. Robins, bluebirds, and chickadees twittered in the trees; badgers, chipmunks, and hedgehogs darted to and fro on the newly mown grass; wildflowers, bluebells, and lilacs waved in the breeze. Quinn breathed all of it in like oxygen.

It was the first Friday in May, and they had a rare weekday afternoon off since it was Reading Period at Luke, the week before final exams started. It was also Star Wars Day -- May the Fourth -- and they were really getting into it as lifelong fans of the movies.

Instead of their usual Skyhawks t-shirts, Ian wore a 'Kiss Me, I'm Jedi' tee, while Quinn had on a 'Temple University - Coruscant Campus' one. Even their heather-grey shorts had a stamp on them saying, 'Issued by Paven Rogi, Jedi Quartermaster'. Bant and Ethan were throwing a costume party that night where all the guests had to dress as characters from 'The Phantom Menace'. The professors were delighted; they'd missed dressing up as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan for the children last Halloween, so now they could make up for it tonight with their friends. After all these years, they'd gotten their portrayals of Qui and Obi down to an art and science.

Even before they'd met, Ian had dressed up as Obi-Wan for a Halloween long ago and far, far away, when he was just eight years old in 1985. And Quinn had worn his Luke Skywalker costume as an eight-year-old, too. When Quinn had put them side by side in a seamless Force manipulation, the blended picture had taken up permanent residence on Ian's desk in the second bedroom.

As for tonight, Bant had warned them that her brother Gareth was dressing up as Darth Maul this year and that Sherman, a friend of Danny Walker's, was coming to the party as Senator Palpatine. Guess they'd have to bring along their lightsabers tonight to fend off both of them.

Quinn happened to be looking more like Qui-Gon than usual these days, which typically occurred when summer vacation approached. He even had his hair partly pulled back with the leather tie Ian had gotten him at the Alder Run 300, the Founders' Day festival, last autumn. And the tie was perfect for today's celebration, as well, since it had a green lightsaber hand-tooled into the leather. Not only that, but Ian loved to see his husband's hair flowing in the breeze as he rode beside Quinn to his right.

Ian was planning on going all out tonight: wearing a braid; sporting the Padawan spike-cut; donning his aikido uniform; even buffing Quinn and his pairs of Williamsburg boots. And of course, he had the most magical ingredient of all always with him -- the mischievous sparkle in Obi-Wan's eyes, especially when he looked at his Master.

At the moment, it was only 2:42 in the afternoon, so they had the path almost all to themselves. They didn't see anyone for the first couple of minutes, but as they reached a bend in the Calaman River, they heard a cheerful "Hello!" from off to the side.

Violet and Prudence waved the professors over to them from a bench overlooking the river. The women wore sundresses with a floral pattern and straw hats to protect their faces from the sun. They each carried bags of old bread they'd made themselves and had been feeding a family of ducks that were enjoying themselves by the rushes. The men caught a faint scent of lilac perfume on the breeze.

Prudence was particularly glad to see the professors today, looking so vigorous and so in love. She would always remember the day she saw them kissing on the bike path in October of 2012, just a couple of yards away from where they were now. When she'd witnessed the tenderness and passion of their kiss, her opinion of them began to change. Her deep-seated prejudice had started to erode in the face of their love, and through the years since then, her support had grown exponentially, both for them personally, and for marriage equality nationally.

She joined Violet in giving them a charming smile in welcome. They moved closer together on the bench to make room for the professors.

The men got off their bikes and leaned them against an oak tree, then sat down with their neighbors, with Quinn sitting next to Prudence. If the ladies hadn't been so petite, all of them wouldn't have fit on the bench, especially with Quinn taking up a third of it. They greeted each other in the casual way that friends who see each other all the time did.

"What a beautiful day," Violet said. "The weatherman says it's 68 degrees, but it feels warmer to me because of the sunshine."

"At least the breeze is keeping it from becoming too hot," Ian said with a cheery grin.

"We've got a little treat for you later on this afternoon," said Prudence. "Would you like to come over in about two hours, after you've finished your bike ride?"

"It's a date," Ian said.

Violet added, "And bring Artoo and Sandy with you. We have snacks for them, as well."

Quinn said, "Thank you, ladies."

"Very kind of you," added Ian.

"This morning, my great-nephew told us that it's Star Wars Day today, and we know what big fans of the movies you are, so we made you some BB-8 treats, which in this case stands for butterscotch blondies," Violet said. "And we baked enough for eight folks. That even includes you, Quinn." She gave out a chuckle, and all of them chuckled with her. Quinn's appetite was legendary among his friends and family, and they loved to indulge him.

Quinn said, "Ah, 'tis sweet of you to spoil us, mo chairde." (my friends)

"Sounds delicious," said Ian.

Prudence said, "And why don't we play dominoes on the porch? I've got a pitcher of iced coffee with your names on it."

"What could be better?" Quinn said graciously.

After chatting for a little over fifteen minutes, Prudence and Violet said their farewells to the men and got up to go home.

"Would you be wanting a Jedi escort, now, ladies?" Quinn asked, his courtliness reminiscent of a certain Jedi Master.

"No, thank you," said Prudence. "You boys stay and enjoy the scenery."

The men got up to give the women their best Jedi bows, and all of them waved goodbye.

When the ladies had turned at the bend in the river, the men took the opportunity to sit down again, this time at the center of the bench. They let their thighs barely brush, savoring the slide of the cotton shorts against each other.

Ian decided to get into his role for tonight a little bit early, under the spell of Star Wars Day. "My Master, I'm looking forward to Bant's party tonight." He gave Quinn an impish wink.

Quinn winked back and played along. "So am I, Padawan. I haven't seen Master Ault since their last mission, and I'd like to discuss the Berhal Treaty with him."

"Can't wait to catch up with all of my crechemates, especially Reeft and Garen." Ian grinned. "But seriously, Quinn, I can't believe that the last time Bant threw a costume party was back in 2004. Seems like eons ago."

"We hadn't even introduced her to Ethan yet when both of them were in Windover," said Quinn, "and they've been married for almost seven years now."

"Yeah, he really 'horned' in on Bant the first time he saw her." Ian heroically resisted the urge to say that Eth was horny, because they were in a public place, after all, and their privacy was tenuous at best. 

Quinn groaned even at the tamer version, but he really couldn't get enough of his laddie's wit, even after almost fifteen years of being entertained by his quips. "Wonderful to think they met at our wedding. What could be more romantic?"

Ian nodded. "Who could've imagined that Bant would go on to marry Eeth Koth when we were at her costume party? Sounds like a Jedi soap opera. 'As Coruscant Turns'."

Quinn gave out a hearty laugh. "Now I know why that was one of my favorite Halloween parties."

"Mine too," said Ian. "But I'm glad we haven't run into her brother Gareth for years. I still don't like the way he flirted with you."

Quinn said, "Unfortunately, we'll see him tonight. Remember Bant told us he's attending as Darth Maul."

Ian groaned. "Bad enough that he'll be there, but seeing him play that monster..." He trailed off unhappily. "And he might try to seduce you again."

"Oh, lad, you know down to your very bones that I never even look at anyone but you that way," said Quinn, reaching for his husband's hand. "Just the same as you."

Ian entwined their fingers as he nodded. "I've known it since our first night in Windover." The magical day they'd met on the Amtrak Acela on their way to a symposium on Tolkien's wizards at Mace University in Massachusetts.

"I love you, Padawan mine, and I always will," Quinn rumbled.

"And I love you, Master Quinn." Pointing to his own shirt, with its 'Kiss Me, I'm Jedi' written in lightsaber-blue lettering, Ian raised his face expectantly and was not disappointed. Quinn chuckled and gave him a masterful kiss. "Never let it be said that I don't pay attention to my apprentice."

And unlike that day six years ago when Prudence had been watching them, this time there was no one to see their passion flare. Unless you counted the family of ducks, a pair of frogs, a school of silvery minnows, and one fascinated bluebird.

Quinn touched his lad's cheek with his fingers in a tender caress, knowing that it was one of Ian's favorite intimacies. And sure enough, Ian gave him an incandescent smile, his blue-green gaze more beautiful than the river next to them.

"Amazing how significant Star Wars has been in our lives," Quinn murmured, putting his arm around his husband. "So many important Moments." 

Ian sighed happily and pressed closer to him. "Like our first proper date at Mossley, when we saw TPM together, and you kissed me during the balcony scene." Quinn kissed him again at this comment, just what he'd been hoping for.

"And Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon have been our alter egos so many times, from trick or treating with Lelia and Han to charity screenings to Halloween katas at the dojo and costume balls at Luke-Loves." Quinn pictured these happy events in his mind's eye as he reminisced.

"Let's face it -- we're a Star Wars family, even down to our puppies." Ian grinned when he remembered Lelia giggling as she put Yoda ears on Artoo when she was all of four years old.

Quinn's eyes crinkled in delight. "The Force is truly with us, laddie."

And as they gazed at the cornucopia of life around them, the Living Force hummed in perfect agreement.


End file.
